Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide (Princeton Field Guides)

I came across this new paperback volume quite by accident while looking for something else at Amazon, and instantly ordered a copy in one of those knee-jerk reactions that I sometimes come to regret. But there's no regret at all this time - what a gem I found! This is a profusely illustrated, full-color volume that will be a great introduction to our Bombus friends for anyone just beginning, while also containing useful information that will include new material for all but the most knowledgeable of bumble bee devotees. Even Sam Droege is quoted (on the back cover) as saying he learned new things that he'd find useful in his own work. The book is printed on semi-gloss paper and the images are all sharp and clear. The Introduction alone provides a great introduction to bumble bee distribution and diversity, the life cycle of a colony, and the nature of the interaction of bumble bees with plants. Maps show species richness in a large rectangular grid (probably 5 degrees of latitude by 5 degrees of longitude) across North America and the world, as well as the numbers of museum specimens of bumblebees from North America on this same grid. All but southernmost Maine is mapped in the "100-500" specimen range, with the observation that most bumblebee collecting has been around large urban centers. Chapters that follow cover bumble bee observation techniques, how to attract them, a forage guide by ecoregion, maps and season activity, bumble bee decline and conservation, threats to bumble bees, natural enemies, mimicry and distinguishing bumble bees from other insects (including some other Hymenoptera that may to the unknowing appear to be unusual bumble bees), and a "how-to" guide to using the book. This is followed by species accounts of every species known in North America, with the fauna broken down into four major subgroups, based on morphology - the last group being the cuckoo bumble bees. Each species account includes the full name and authority, two to four photographs, and a guide to identification hints, based on characters identifiable in the field with a hand lens, as well as in the lab with a microscope. A map of known occurrences is small but sufficiently detailed to allow one to know whether a species should be expected to be in Maine. Color variations of queens, workers and males are shown diagrammatically - with some species showing significant color pattern variation throughout their range. This is then followed by a short section on "occurrence," which includes the species' range and status, habitat, examples of food plants, behavior (e.g., nesting habits), and whether it is known to be parasitized by other bees or is itself a parasite of others. Following the species accounts is a beautifully photo-illustrated key to identification of both male and female bumble bees, which is then followed by a 4-page illustrated glossary and a page of bumble bee resources. I'm looking forward to some quiet time in the winter when I can sit down and spend some time absorbing everything in this volume, particularly about those species that comprise our own fauna here in Maine. This was certainly money well-spent, and at a bargain price for a colorful field and identification guide!

There is a great lack of good bee field guides, and this is a wonderful move toward fixing that. The book has great information on the biology of bees, crisp high-res photos (nothing worse than big, fuzzy pictures in a field guide), diagrams of the various possible color patterns, beautiful range maps, really interesting graphs of the queen, worker, male abundances for each species, and good keys for the species if you are technically adept and have a scope. This guide is doubtless more useful to the scientist or graduate student, but is useful for anyone interested in identifying bumble bees to species. I also have the free UDSA books on bumble bees that Williams et al did, but in my opinion this one is better and worth buying if you are using this professionally or as an amateur entomologist.

Interesting read, especially the charts on the life cycle of bumblebees. The color pattern chart of each bee was interesting and I'll be interested in using it this summer to identify local bumblebees. There is a brief guide to plants used by the bees in each geographical region, but the bulk of this book is dedicated to the different species. The writing is very straight forward and meant to be informational, which it is. If you are looking to add bumble bee identification to your resume then this book will get you there.

Who knew all the parameters by which to identify bumble bees?! This book is a trove of information and includes color photos to make it even easier to identify these insects.

Very well done. This is a professional-level book with a lot of information on bumble bees and also great taxonomic descriptions. But, it is not like the books on butterflies where one makes an identification by looking at pretty pictures. To make positive identifications, you have to get out your magnifying glass and check the small details. I got it for Kindle but the paperback might be better because it is easier to thumb through the book. But, the electronic version is weightless and fits in with all my other taxonomic references. Good book but it takes some work to identify bumble bees.

Was truly like new. Thank you

I'm stingy with five stars and their reward probably reflects my interest in the subject matter as much as the content of the book. As a member of the Master Gardening program I'm particularly interested in attracting bees and butterflies to the garden. However, I must admit that a bumble bee was a bumble bee until I encountered a couple of large carpenter bees burrowing holes into my new cedar greenhouse. Like most identification guides, this is not intended to be read cover to cover except, maybe, for your first time through. But the introductory sections do a wonderful job of giving bumble bees an identity and character of their own. We own too many Peterson and Audubon Guides, which never seem to be in the right place when you need them. But I wouldn't think of getting rid of any of them and have this one in the greenhouse and near our butterfly/bee garden.

Great photos and color pattern schematics.

At last - an excellent, long-awaited, comprehensive guide to North American bumblebees. The authors tackle the difficult challenge of species identification with 'hand' and 'microscopic' characters and excellent photographs in each species account, as well as 30 pages of conventional, generally well-illustrated keys. Distribution maps and colour variations are covered with high quality illustrations. It's hard to satisfy both keen naturalist and specialist, but this book goes a long way to doing both. I would have liked to see references to important literature backing up some of the text, but can well understand the need to compromise between completeness and length. Overall a great work that significantly advances the study of North American bumblebees.

Bees of North America is an outstanding and beautifully crafted guide that goes far beyond being just a field reference. The book blends scientific accuracy with accessibility, making it equally valuable for naturalists, students, and anyone with a love for the natural world. The photography is stunning—clear, detailed images that make identifying bees approachable even for beginners. Each profile offers fascinating insights into behavior, habitat, and ecology, showing the incredible diversity and importance of these often-overlooked pollinators. I especially appreciate how the authors connect species information to broader themes of conservation, highlighting the urgent need to protect pollinator habitats. What makes this book stand out is how it balances depth and readability. It’s packed with information, yet never overwhelming, and it invites you to slow down and really notice the details of the bees around you. Since reading it, I find myself pausing more often to observe bees in my garden and local parks with a greater sense of appreciation and wonder. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in pollinators, conservation, or simply deepening their connection to nature. It’s both a practical field guide and an inspiring celebration of the bees that sustain our ecosystems.

Full of useful detail and information, this book will prove a good accompaniment on trips to America and Canada

If you want to identify that bumble bee in your garden, good luck! That's what I realized after reading through this excellent guide on bumble bees. There are so many species, and the differences within a single species can sometime be even greater than the differences between some species. Having said that, if any book is going to help you with identifying them, this one will. Most of the photos are good (some less so than others) but the drawings of the various colour patterns are superb, as are the range maps. The book also includes histograms of the seasonal activity patterns of queens, workers, and males. Lots of information on food plants, habitat and behaviour of the various bees, as well as some great info on threats (natural and anthropogenic). There is also a section on attracting bumble bees - on food sources and nesting habits.

This is an excellent guide to the Bumblebees. It is illustrated with sharp colour photos of each species, and detailed technical descriptions of both the visible characters and microscopic characters of each species. It also shows the common variations among the queens, workers and males and shows the differences between species. The large range maps and additional comments about occurrence and food plants, etc. make it easier to identify the species. It's a very good book for entomologists and naturalists.